From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   May 26th - St. Mariana of Jesus de Paredes   
      
   1618-1645   
      
    After the death of Mariana of Paredes, a beautiful lily sprouted forth from   
   her blood, and so she has been styled the Lily of Quito. But in far greater   
   measure did she deserve the name because of the innocence of her life. She   
   preserved it unsullied in the midst of a wicked world, carefully protecting   
   it by the practice of rare austerities.   
      
   From her earliest childhood Mariana, who was born in 1618, felt altogether   
   drawn to God and to heavenly things. Meanwhile she attached herself to the   
   Immaculate Virgin with unbounded confidence and tender devotion. She   
   received the habit of the Third Order from the Franciscans in her native   
   town of Quito, Ecuador, and in consideration of her great virtue, she was   
   permitted to take the three vows of religion. Then she repaired to her home   
   where she led a life hidden in God and devoted to prayer and penance.   
      
   She quitted her home only when she went to attend divine services in church   
   or when charity toward her neighbor required it. On such occasions she won   
   the hearts of all she met, even the most depraved among them, by her polite   
   and friendly manner, and succeeded in leading them back to the path of   
   virtue. Incidentally it may be remarked, that almighty God favored His   
   faithful servant with extraordinary mystical gifts in support of her   
   apostolate. By means of the Sign of the Cross or by sprinkling holy water   
   she restored many sick persons to health; she also raised a dead woman to   
   life.   
      
   When the plague broke out, she offered her chaste young life as a sacrifice   
   to God in behalf of the stricken citizens. God accepted the sacrifice. She   
   died shortly afterwards, in the 28th year of her age, in 1645. She was   
   beatified by Pope Pius IX, and canonized in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.   
      
   ON CONFIDENCE IN MARY   
   1. Mary wishes to help us. She proved that in the Incarnation of our Savior.   
   She knew that the mother of the Man of Sorrows would have to become the   
   Mother of Sorrows, yet she acceded for the sake of the children of men, whom   
   she loved most affectionately. That is why she uttered those most saving   
   words: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to Thy   
   word" (Luke 1:38). How commendable it was, then, that Blessed Mariana clung   
   with such fervor and fidelity to the Mother of God, the mother of all   
   mankind.-Imitate her in the practice and recommend your chastity to Mary   
   Immaculate.   
   2. Mary can help us. She can help us because she is the Mother of the   
   eternal Son of God. St.. Bonaventure cries out: "Thou canst do all things by   
   Him and through Him." She is the intercessory omnipotence at the throne of   
   God. Blessed Mariana experienced her power in an eminent degree. - Foster   
   the most profound and filial confidence in the Blessed Mother of God.   
   3. Mary will help us especially in the time of danger. That was foretold by   
   the words: "I will put enmities between thee and the woman" (Gen 3:15). To   
   the evil spirit Mary has become "terrible as an army set in array" (Cant   
   6:3). If Satan contrives to destroy souls, Mary is God's appointed champion   
   to save them for eternity.-Pledge yourself to be a good child of this good   
   Mother, and you will insure your salvation.   
      
   PRAYER OF THE CHURCH   
   O God, who didst will that amid the allurements of this world Blessed   
   Mariana should blossom forth in virginal purity and continual penance like a   
   lily among thorns, grant, we beseech Thee, that through her merits and   
   intercession we may shun vice and strive ever more and more to attain   
   perfection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "O Lord my God, let me joy in nothing but what leads to Thee, nor grieve for   
   anything but what leads away from Thee."   
   -St. Thomas Aquinas (Doctor, 1225-74) - "Prayer of St Thomas Aquinas for   
   grace to lead a holy life"   
      
   Bible Quotes:   
   "Delight in the Lord: and he will give thee  the requests of thy heart"  (Ps   
   36:3)   
      
   "And he saith to them: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do   
   evil? To save life, or to destroy? But they held their peace. And looking   
   round about on them with anger, being grieved for the blindness of their   
   hearts"  (Mark 3:4-5)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost   
      
   On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses,   
   I offer myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God.   
   I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of   
   Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the strength   
   and light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire   
   never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with   
   all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee.   
   Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always   
   watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice, and follow Thy   
   gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee   
   and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my   
   weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, and looking at   
   His five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood, and   
   adoring His opened side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee,   
   Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy   
   grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace, 0 Holy   
   Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always   
   and everywhere, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)